Linerless labels are becoming increasingly more popular because of the advantages associated with such labels. Such advantages include the absence of a liner which otherwise requires disposal when the labels are dispensed and applied to an article or a product. Linerless labels typically are supplied in a continuous web form and have an adhesive along one side and a release surface along the other side so that the linerless labels can be formed into and dispensed from a roll. The adhesive may be a permanent adhesive, removable adhesive or a repositional adhesive, depending upon the ultimate use of the labels.
For typical pressure-sensitive label applicators, a backing paper or liner is used to drive the web of labels for application to the products. With linerless label stock, however, there is no liner and, accordingly, machinery must be devised to process the stock through feeding, cutting and applicator operations. Because the linerless label web does not have a backing or a liner, the labels are not separated from one another and must be cut from the web before they are applied. With the adhesive exposed along one side of the linerless label web, it will be appreciated that the web must be driven or fed through machinery for cutting the labels and applying the cut labels to an article or product without the label stock adhering to the machinery components or leaving a residue of adhesive on the driving, cutting and applicator machine components.